When It Matters
by SuperNaturalGH
Summary: Elizabeth's torn between her two closest friends. When push comes to shove, who will she stand beside? Sabrina? Or Robin? Is it possible to choose? And, in the midst of this chaos, is it truly possible for love to form? (just a little something that comes from too much GH and dreaming)
1. Chapter 1

_True friendship isn't about being there when its convenient. Its about being there when its not._

Ending yet another double shift completely sore to the bone, she pulls out of the parking garage and right into a rainstorm as its making its way through the town. If nothing else, a rainstorm makes the perfect atmosphere for a long night's sleep, but its definitely not the kind of weather she enjoys driving home in.

As the coldness starts to make its way into her vehicle, Elizabeth is beyond thankful that she had her heater fixed the week before. Living on a nurse's salary with two boys left little room for car repairs, much less for a new car. Thankfully she has a few friends in the repair shop that give her as much of a discount as they can manage.

"What the..." she mutters beneath her breath as she spots a woman walking through the pouring rain, looking a little too familiar.

Staring out the window, trying to see through the rain, Elizabeth's heart almost stopped as Sabrina's face comes into view, the look on her face one of pure pain and heartache. A look that Elizabeth knows better than most. With a heavy heart, she stops her car beside her, rolling down the window to signal her to walk over.

"Elizabeth?" Sabrina questions in confusion, glancing around before looking through the window at her again. "What...what are you doing driving in this weather?"

"Me?" she counters. "What about you? Why are you walking through in this weather?"

"I'm..I'm okay." Sabrina says with little conviction. "I'm not that far from my apartment."

"That's true." Elizabeth accepts. "But your apartment is in the opposite direction."

"Oh, yeah, I know...I just..."

"Its okay." Elizabeth smiles softly. "Come on, get in."

"No...its okay..."

"Sabrina." she cuts her off, arching her eyebrow seriously. "Get in. Come on, you look like someone that needs to talk if ever I saw one."

"Um...I..." she tries to turn her down, but soon enough the sigh escapes. "Okay."

Swinging open the door, Sabrina climbs inside before the two friends head off in the direction of Elizabeth's house. If anyone could understand what Sabrina's going through, its her. Being in love with a man that belongs to someone else is practically the story of her life. Her love for Jason being proof enough of that.

A part of her will always feel guilty for not rushing to Sabrina's side when Robin walked through the doors of the church. As happy as she had been to see her best friend, to have her back, Elizabeth should have taken her other friend's heart into consideration. Like most that have come to love Sabrina as much as Robin, she had been torn.

The relief and gratitude in having her best friend back inevitably clouded her judgement, causing her to rush to Robin's side instead of Sabrina's. From the look on Sabrina's face, its obvious that she had made the wrong choice. Yes, she's thankful for Robin's return, but she helped Sabrina get together with Patrick and she should have made sure that the other half of her two friends were okay.

Arriving at the house, Elizabeth introduces Sabrina to her gram before instructing the younger nurse to take a warm bath while she handles her boys. After more protest, Sabrina caves and accepts Elizabeth's orders, knowing that it was practically impossible to argue with a mother in her nurturing mode.

* * *

><p>Stepping out of the shower after the longest one she's had with warm water, Sabrina gets dressed in the clothes that Elizabeth had given her before making her way out to the kitchen. Watching with watery eyes, she watches as Elizabeth takes care of her boys, washing their hands and wiping their faces after a late dinner.<p>

"You okay?" Elizabeth voices when she notices the tears in Sabrina's eyes.

"Uh, yeah...yeah, I'm okay." Sabrina shakes her head, swiping at the tears as they begin to fall. "Do you need any help?"

"No, I can handle these two little monsters." she laughs softly. "Why don't you make yourself at home? I'm just going to put these two to bed and I'll be right down."

"Its okay, I'm just going to head home..." Sabrina begins to protest before sighing, even she didn't believe herself by this point. "You sure you don't need any help?"

"I'm sure." Elizabeth says as she picks Aiden up into her arms. "You just relax. I'll be down soon. Say goodnight boys."

"Goodnight." the two boys voice in unison.

"Goodnight, sweeties." Sabrina replies before watching the small family make their way upstairs for bed.

With a heavy heart, she makes her way out into the living room, dropping herself down onto the couch. As she relaxes into the couch, she can't help but notice how welcoming the home felt. Unlike some places she has been, this place really felt like a home. The toys spread over the floor, the jackets hanging over the couch, picture frames on the mantel, everything shouts of a loving home.

A part of her can't help but wonder how Elizabeth does it. Raising two little boys on her own without any help from the father figures. Even though it would be completely understandable for her to be a little overwhelmed, she makes it look so easy. Juggling work and her two kids as well as being there for Patrick and Emma before...before Robin came back into the picture...

"Its not easy." Elizabeth voices as she walks down the stairs, catching Sabrina by surprise. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

"Oh, no, it wasn't you." Sabrina quickly reassures her. "I just wasn't aware that I was saying that out loud."

"Oh, okay." Elizabeth replies simply before carrying the tea tray over to the couch and setting it down. "But, trust me, juggling the things I juggle every day isn't easy. I just do what I can and hope its enough."

"Well, rest assured, you make it look really easy."

"Thanks." she voices kindly. "Now spill."

"W-what?"

"I know that things for you have been hard with Robin coming back and I'm sorry I haven't been there for you like I should have been, I just..."

"Wha...no!" Sabrina cuts her off. "You just got back one of your oldest and closest friends. I don't blame you for being happy about her return. Its a joyous time."

"Okay, enough." Elizabeth sighs, shaking her head. "Don't do this to yourself."

"I'm not doing anything..."

"You're denying yourself the right to feel what you're feeling." Elizabeth counters seriously. "Yes, Robin coming back is a very joyous thing, one that deserves to be celebrated, but what you're feeling deserves to be felt, as well. You didn't do anything wrong. No one could have seen this coming."

"How can I be angry that she's back?" Sabrina states. "A woman is back from the dead. Emma has her mother back. How can I be angry with that?"

"You can be happy that she's alive, Sabrina." Elizabeth amends. "But you can be angry about what you lost. You have a right to be hurt...to be heartbroken."

"After everything that we've been through, I can't believe I've turned into her." she whispers, lifting the picture of Elizabeth and her boys into her hands. "I'm the Britches."

"You're nothing like Brit." Elizabeth places her hand on Sabrina's arm. "Come on, you can't honestly believe that."

"I'm..." she takes in a deep breath, unsure of whether or not she can even voice it. Not after everything that has happened since she found out. "I'm pregnant, Liz."

"What?" Elizabeth couldn't believe her ears. "Is it Patrick's? Wait...of course its Patrick's...I just...have you told him?"

Unable to say the words, Sabrina shakes her head, trying her hardest to fight off the tears, but failing miserably.

"Oh, Sabrina." Elizabeth couldn't help but feel the pain that her friend feels, having been in a similar situation herself, finding that she has more in common with her friend than she knew. "What happened?"

"I'm...I'm...the Britches."

"Stop saying that!"

"Its true." Sabrina blubbers. "In Robin's eyes...its true."

"She's wrong." she states without hesitation. "You didn't plan to get pregnant. You didn't use another man's sperm to get pregnant! Listen to me, Sabrina, and really hear me. You are nothing like the Britches!"

"I don't know what I'm supposed to do now." Sabrina whispers as Elizabeth pulls her into a warm embrace. "I can't even talk to Patrick without Robin popping up...I just don't know what to do."

"Whatever you're gonna do, trust me, you won't be alone." Elizabeth voices with conviction. "Aside from the obvious in Felix, I'm gonna be right here if you need me."

"Wha...no...Robin's your friend, I would never..."

"You're my friend, too!" Elizabeth cuts her off swiftly, meeting her eyes. "I love both of you, but you're the one that needs me most. I'm here for you, no matter what."

"I...I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything." Elizabeth assures her. "Just get some rest. The guest bedroom is down that hallway, second door on the left. I'll drop you home in the morning once the storm passes."

"You're really amazing, you know that?"

"I may have been told that once or twice..." she laughs softly, thankful when Sabrina joins in with a soft laughter. "Go get some rest. You really look like you need it."

"I really do."

* * *

><p>As everyone in her house falls into a peaceful slumber, Elizabeth sits up with a cup of tea, wondering how this was going to affect the people she loves. Admittedly, Robin isn't wrong to want her family back, after everything she has suffered through, its not crazy to think she'd want things to pick up where it left off, but even she knows that's never possibly.<p>

Like Lucky's faked death, life didn't just stop when Robin supposedly died. The world kept spinning, life kept moving, and everyone began to move past Robin's death. Its not fair to act like nothing has changed because, by doing that, everyone's lives are thrown into chaos trying to erase those years. As hard as it is to swallow, those years happened and they have to accept it and adapt.

With a deep sigh, she finishes her tea before setting her tea cup down, hoping that Robin can understand why she has chosen to do what she has done. No matter how much she loves Robin, there's nothing she can do about her love for Sabrina.

Between her two friends right now, Sabrina's the one that needs her most and she can only hope that Robin will understand. Unlike Robin, Sabrina doesn't have much in ways of support and she could literally use all she can get. Especially with a baby on the way. If anyone knows what lays ahead for Sabrina, its her, and she has to be there to help her through this.

Knowing one other person that could help Sabrina through this, Elizabeth pulls up the number she had used to get ahold of an old friend, knowing he could be a lot of help when dealing with the people of Port Charles. Though he's been gone for a while, certainly he hasn't forgotten.

"Juan, I know that you're on tour right now, but Sabrina can really use you right now." Elizabeth voices after the beep. "I don't want to go into over the phone, but a lot has happened since you dropped off the wedding dress. Please get here as soon as you can. If not sooner. She really needs you."

* * *

><p><strong><em>AN: Jason's with Sam (NOT FATHER OF BABY)_**  
><strong><em>Robin will be slightly, if not more, out of character in some parts. For sake of story.<em>**  
><strong><em>DON'T TAKE IT SERIOUSLY! JUST FOR FUN! KAY?<em>**


	2. Chapter 2

_True friendship isn't about being there when its convenient. Its about being there when its not._

Standing by the window as the sun begins to rise into the vast open sky, Sabrina lets out a deep sigh, wishing she could go back to the time when waking up in the morning meant facing a brand new day rather than anxiously anticipating more stress from the previous day.

A part of her feels that she should have gone home last night, staying in Elizabeth's home feeling more and more like she's hiding rather than spending the night at a friend's house. If she was telling the truth, she'd admit that its exactly what she wanted to do. Hide. From Patrick. From Carlos. From everyone in general.

Sliding her hands over her abdomen, she feels the familiar ache in her heart, never once ever thinking that this would be how she had her first child. When she imagined having her first baby, she imagined that she'd be happily married and in love with the father of her baby. Not this. Not the circumstances that she's been placed in. This wasn't her dream. This wasn't what she wanted at all.

"I wish you were here, mom." she whispers, sliding one hand over her heart. "I don't think I've ever needed you more than I do now."

Making her way into the shower, knowing that she couldn't avoid it any longer, Sabrina quickly washes away the remaining aches of last night's slumber before getting dressed and leaving the safety of Elizabeth's guest bedroom. From the moment she steps out of the room, she's met by the sweet smell of fresh bread, the aroma practically yanking her in the direction of the dining area.

"Hey." Elizabeth greets her as she sets a basket of bread down on the table. "How'd you sleep last night?"

"I..." she wants to lie, but she could see, by the look on her friend's face, that she wouldn't believe her. "Better than I usually do."

"Come. Sit." Elizabeth gestures for her to sit at the table. "If you haven't noticed, my boys are already out of the house. So, you shouldn't have a problem enjoying a peaceful breakfast."

"You're not joining me?" Sabrina looks at her friend in confusion.

"I'd love to, but I'm already running late." Elizabeth admits sadly, snatching up her things. "I spoke to Epiphany and you have the day off. Before you argue, just trust me. You need it."

"Elizabeth, you didn't have to do that." she argues regardless. "I mean, I appreciate it, of course, but..."

"No buts." Elizabeth looks at her with complete sincerity. "I've been there, Sabrina. Trust me, you need this time to yourself."

"I..I guess I do."

"Stay for as long as you want." Elizabeth voices as she walks over to the door. "I know its kind of redundant to tell you think about it, but I'm saying it anyway. You can never think too much about something this important. I should know."

Without another word, she's out the door, leaving Sabrina to her thoughts. As she looks at the breakfast her friend has laid out for her, she couldn't help but feel an immense amount of love flood through her. Its been so long since anyone has really taken care of her like this. Sure, Felix, he's a great friend and all, but for some reason its different with Elizabeth.

Maybe its the fact that she's a mother and she naturally sends off that motherly vibe when she's caring for someone. Maybe its the feeling of her home, how warm and cozy it is, how welcoming. Or maybe it could be a mixture of both. For whatever reason, Sabrina hasn't felt this secure in what feels like forever.

* * *

><p>For a moment, Elizabeth stands frozen at the door to the local diner, spotting the man that holds her heart sitting with the friend that she hopes will understand why she has chosen to do what she has done. With a deep breath, she makes her way into the diner, having no other choice when a pair of blue eyes lift to meet hers.<p>

"Hey." Jason rises to his feet, still a little uneasy with how they've left things, but knowing that there won't ever be a right time to air that out. "You okay?"

"Yeah...I'm okay." she voices, wishing they could go back to their friendship before the whole drama about Sam's baby came between them. "You?"

"Same." he voices with a slight smile. "See you around?"

"Yeah...sure."

Taking a deep breath, she walks past him to place one hand on Robin's shoulder, smiling softly before continuing on to the counter. She wanted to talk to Robin about everything that has happened, but she knows better than anyone that time with Jason isn't one to be interrupted. It comes far too apart and never lasts nearly long enough. Something she and Robin could always agree on.

Between work and Sam and the baby, not to mention Carly, his time is stretched way too thin. They're lucky if they get any time with him, much less time to actually sit down and converse over a meal. Elizabeth's time with him has been cut drastically short since the whole baby switching fiasco. She can only hope that they'll get their friendship back, like they always used to.

Ordering her cup of coffee, making small talk with the waitress, Elizabeth exchanges a soft smile with Jason before making her way back out into the town. So much has happened since they lost their son, so much that can't be taken back, she knows that, but that doesn't stop her hoping. It doesn't stop her praying. It doesn't stop her faith.

* * *

><p>For a long moment after Elizabeth walked out of the diner, Robin simply watched her former love, swallowed by a sense of dejavu as a familiar look crossed his features. Its a look she had grown to know better than any other look on his face. The look of his heart being broken.<p>

She, more than anyone else, knows the kind of struggle that he and Elizabeth had to go through. Her support of their relationship being evident of that all those years ago. In complete honesty, she had been hoping that inviting her former love to her wedding would push the two together. Sadly, it hadn't worked, despite her best efforts.

"I know this is usually your line, but..." she smiles softly when his eyes meet hers. "You okay?"

"Sure." he shrugs his shoulders. "I'm fine."

"Strange because you don't look it." Robin counters, knowing that pushing never helped get anything out of Jason, but it was worth the shot. "Speaking from personal experience, its not fair to either you or Sam to start a future together while you still have feelings for Elizabeth."

"We have a son together."

"Had a son."

"Just because he's...gone, it doesn't mean he's not ours anymore."

"Right, of course." she shakes her head.

"Like I was saying...we have a son together. Not to mention a long standing history." Jason says with conviction. "Regardless of what everyone wants, my feelings for Elizabeth will never be gone. Not completely anyway."

"I guess that would mean that Patrick's feelings for Sabrina will never truly disappear either, huh?"

"That's something only Patrick can answer." Jason reaches across the table to take her hand in his. "I wish I can make this better for you."

"You and me both."

Just then, like every other time before, Jason's cellphone starts to ring, signalling the end of their time together. Its always strange to think that a few different choices could have ended up with them together and not with other people. If only she had trusted him and vice versa. If only she hadn't let Carly's issues come between them.

Regardless of the past and where they'd be had things been different, Robin's thankful that she's able to sit down with him like true friends. When they had ended it was practically impossible to see each other without hurting over not being together. Thankfully time has healed those wounds and she has gained something she needed even more. A true friend.

"Don't you have to go?" Robin questions when he simply slides his cellphone back into his pocket and continues to eat his food.

"Not at the moment." he shakes his head, granting her a slight smile. "For now, I'm all yours."

"Jason Morgan ignoring a call...well, now, that never happens."

"What are friends for right?"

* * *

><p>Arriving at the hospital, Elizabeth makes her way up to the sixth floor, frozen to the spot for the second time that morning. Only this time for a different reason. Just a few feet away from her, near the nurses' desk, Patrick faces off with Felix for what had to be the umpteenth time this week. Knowing the reason behind the tension, she didn't blame either of them.<p>

"If I knew where she was, do you really think I'd be standing here arguing this out with you?" Felix practically snaps at Patrick, having lost all sense of patience during this latest argument.

"Why don't you two take a break?" Elizabeth encourages them, sensing that Epiphany would soon pop her head into the conversation if it were to get anymore heated. "Come on, Patrick."

Hooking her arm through his before he has a chance to argue the point, Elizabeth guides him away from Felix and into an empty room. Normally she would just leave the two to work out their issues, not knowing just how serious it was, but not this time. Not when an innocent baby hangs in the balance. Not to mention the fate of all three of her closest friends.

"Patrick..." she starts to say, stopping when he raises his hand.

"I know." he sighs, shaking his head before dropping his hand to his side. "I should know better. Getting into a heated argument with Felix like that...I don't know...I just..."

"You're concerned for her, I get it." Elizabeth smiles softly. "I know, Patrick."

"Oh...I..." he sighs again, unsure of what he was even going to say or what could be said at this point. "I wanted to tell you, I just...I don't know how."

"If it'll give you peace of mind, Sabrina stayed at my place last night." Elizabeth concedes. "She's fine."

"Good...that's good." he shakes his head, thankful that she didn't simply wander the streets like Felix had implied. "Look, I should be getting back...if she needs anything..."

"I know." she assures. "And, for whatever its worth, I'm here for you, too."

"I know." he says wholeheartedly before wrapping his arms around her in a warm embrace, placing a soft kiss upon her temple. "What would I do without you, Nurse Webber?"

"Dare you to find out, Dr. Drake." she chuckles softly before pulling away. "I don't know how, but everything will work out for the best, somehow."

"I hope you're right." he admits. "See you soon."

"Sure."

Watching him walk out of the room, Elizabeth couldn't help but hope that everything truly will work out for the best for all involved. Taking her own personal experience into consideration, she forces herself to have faith that this time won't be the same as her pregnancy with Jake. All that unnecessary heartache. It just has to be different this time. It has to.


	3. Chapter 3

_True friendship isn't about being there when its convenient. Its about being there when its not._

Stepping into his office located in the Elm Street Pier warehouse, Jason's not too surprised to find his best friend and business partner waiting for him. Shutting the door behind him, he greets Sonny before taking a seat behind his desk, pulling out some files that need his immediate attention.

"Sam told me you were having breakfast with Robin." Sonny breaks the silence, knowing that he'll have to be the one to bring up the topic in order to get the answers he seeks. "How is she?"

"About as well as you'd expect." Jason voices, signing off on shipment orders before looking over inventory for the new warehouse. "She's having a hard time readjusting."

"I'm sure the fact that that Sabrina girl's pregnant isn't helping any."

"Its hard to accept, yes." Jason looks up at Sonny, getting a sudden feeling that he needs to point out the obvious to his friend. "But she has accepted that life didn't just stop when she was taken. No one's at fault here."

"Of course not." Sonny shrugs, meeting Jason's eyes. "I just think its rather inconvenient."

"I hope you're talking about the situation and not the baby." Jason says seriously, having had this very argument with Sonny before. "Babies aren't an inconvenience."

"Right, sure." Sonny rises to his feet, securing his jacket around him. "Well, I should go check on the progress over at the new warehouse. We'll talk again later?"

"Sure." Jason watches as his friend exits the office, getting a sudden dejavu moment, a moment that causes him to reach for his cellphone. "You busy?"

"For you, Stone Cold, never." Spinelli assures quickly as he reaches for the bottle. "What might the Jackal do for you?"

"I need to know if Sonny's been keeping up with his medication." Jason states. "I hate even thinking it, but I have a bad feeling he's stopped again."

"Mr. Sir going off his medication can have disastrous consequences." Spinelli utters the obvious. "I shutter to think who will take the brunt of one of his episodes..."

"Spinelli." he cuts him off swiftly, not wanting to even hear a scenario that might happen if Sonny really is off his medication. "Just do what you do and let me know. The sooner the better."

"Of course, Stone Cold." he assures as he rocks his baby in his arms, lulling the little one to sleep. "The Jackal will report any and all findings once its available."

Ending the call, Jason decides to put his focus into the tasks before him, knowing that there's nothing else he can do until he gets the confirmation from Spinelli. The mere thought that Sonny has gone off his medication is enough to give him a migraine. Life's just too complicated right now to have to worry about Sonny's life falling apart by choice.

* * *

><p>Staring into the eyes of one of her best friends, Elizabeth could see her friend's side of things, but that didn't change the fact of the matter. As much as she loves Robin, she loves Sabrina, too, and she has to be fair. She knew that it would hurt Robin to know that she was helping Sabrina in any way that she can, but she deserved to hear it from her.<p>

"I understand, Robin, I really do." Elizabeth assures her friend. "But I'm her friend, too, and I can't just walk away from her when she needs me."

"So you're choosing her?"

"I'm not choosing anyone." Elizabeth corrects. "I will always be your friend and I will always be here for you."

"I know." Robin sighs, pulling out a chair to sit down. "I guess, I just wish things could go back to the way they used to be. Back when there was no Sabrina or Felix or Brit...or anything. Back to when it was just us, you know?"

"I know." Elizabeth sits across from Robin, reaching out and taking hold of her hand. "Robin, I..."

"That would be yours." Robin points out when Elizabeth doesn't reach for her phone. "You gonna answer it?"

"Its...Sabrina." she voices as she pulls out the phone, knowing by the ringtone.

"I guess you guys really are close if she gets her own ringtone." Robin tries to go for light humor, regardless of how hurt she felt that Sabrina has somehow woven herself into the lives of everyone she holds dear.

"Robin..."

"Its okay." Robin assures, rising to her feet. "You answer that. I have to get back to work anyway."

"We'll talk again soon?"

"Sure." Robin shakes her head before pulling open the door of the break room. "See you."

Watching her friend walk out of the room left an ache in her heart, an ache she had seen coming the moment she decided to support Sabrina in her pregnancy. She could see what Robin had meant by this being much like her situation with Jason and Sam, having made the comparison herself, but its not exactly the same.

In Robin's eyes, Sabrina is Sam and she's Elizabeth in this scenario, since she and Patrick have history like (she and Jason) while Sabrina (much like Sam with Jason) walked into Patrick's life out of nowhere. Elizabeth, however, sees it the other way around because Jason and Sam had been separated at the time that Elizabeth had gotten pregnant with Jake. Much like Patrick and Robin had been separated by her supposed death when Sabrina conceived.

"Hey." Elizabeth answers her phone. "No, you're not interrupting anything. I was just clocking out for my lunch."

"Oh, okay." Sabrina replies. "Do you think you can come home? I could really use another talk."

"Sure, of course." Elizabeth says without hesitation. "I'm just gonna stop by the diner and grab some food. I'll see you soon."

Ending the call, Elizabeth informs Epiphany that she's going to take her lunch and that it might be a little longer than an hour, but she'll be on her cellphone if she's needed. It would take a moment before Epiphany agrees to it, but eventually she does, knowing exactly how they've both let Sabrina down lately.

Making her way out of the hospital, she heads straight for the diner to get some food for her and Sabrina before heading home. She can only hope that, with time, Robin will come to understand her choice. She was hoping to have been the one to bring it up, but Patrick telling Robin is as good a way as any, she supposes. At least now its out in the open and they can all find away to move past it and find a way to come up with a solution that best satisfies everyone involved.

* * *

><p>Getting out of her car, Robin makes her way into the Elm Street Pier warehouse, making her way to Jason's office where he said he'd be. She knows that he's busy and she had understood that when he told her, but she needs to talk to him. Now more than ever. If anyone can get her to see Elizabeth's side more clearly, its him.<p>

"I'm sorry for bothering you..."

"You're not bothering me." Jason assures, gesturing for her to sit down before handing her a glass of water. "What's going on?"

"I need one of those talks." Robin admits. "You know, the talks that I never want to hear, but you know I need to."

"Okay." he pulls up a chair to sit in front of her. "If that's what you want, you got it."

Laying it all out there for him, Robin tells him what Patrick told her about Elizabeth taking in Sabrina and how she initially felt about that. She tells him about her talk with Elizabeth, how she felt as she had that conversation and how Elizabeth wishes she'd understand why she was doing what she's doing. About how badly she wants to understand, but how her hurt she feels about it all. Everything.

"Okay, I'm gonna tell you a story and I want you to really hear me."

"Okay."

"A long time ago, Lucky had been presumed dead, much like you." Jason explains. "Elizabeth, like Patrick, was left to move on from him. As hard as it was, she had to learn how to live without him. It took her a long time, but eventually she did it. She learnt to let go and live again. So much so that she fell in love with someone else."

"I'm guessing that someone else is you."

"Yeah...it was me." he admits. "In that one year, her life changed more than anyone wanted to admit, more than anyone wanted to allow. Then one day Lucky was found alive and everyone wanted to believe that it was the miracle they prayed for. Elizabeth and Lucky would continue from where they left off and their lives would go back to normal. She'd stop spending so much time with me and they'd have their perfect little world back to the way it had been."

"I'm guessing it didn't work out that way."

"Far from it." Jason replies. "The more they tried to act like that year didn't happen, the more and more they kept getting hurt."

"Are you saying that I should let Patrick go?" she looks at him in disbelief. "That I should let them love each other?"

"No." he shakes his head. "What I'm saying is that you need to accept that these last two years happened instead of trying to make it as if it didn't. Be smarter than we had been and maybe this just might turn out better than it had for us."


	4. Chapter 4

__~*Liason Appreciation Day*~  
>I felt like today would be a good day for me to just write in appreciation of my favorite 'abandoned' couple.<em>_

* * *

><p><em>True friendship isn't about being there when it's convenient. It's about being there when its not.<em>

Shutting the guest bedroom door, thankful that Sabrina has found enough peace of mind to fall asleep, Elizabeth silently makes her way out to her car with one destination in mind. With her life gaining a new found complication, that not even she could have seen coming, she feels the ever pressing need to be in the one place that always lends her a sense of peace.

Though its haunted with both happy and heartbreaking memories, its still the one place she feels closest to those that she loves, the one place she feels closest to her son. Stopping her car just shy of the bridge, she secures her jacket around herself before making the short venture to the center, turning her body to face out into the abyss.

Gripping onto the railing with both hands, she allows her eyes to slowly shut as the watery breeze envelopes her in its refreshing embrace, thankful to still find peace upon that bridge in spite of the changes that has been made to it. Sometimes, if she tries hard enough, she can still imagine that day, so many years ago. The day she got her first boxing lesson.

He had tried so hard to change her mood. To get her to laugh. To live. It had been the hardest thing for her to picture that day, but he had accomplished it like it was no feat at all. As if it had been the easiest thing for him to do. To make her laugh. To make her live. Life had definitely been simpler then. Simpler than anything she's had to face recently, that's for sure.

Headlights pull her from her thoughts, uncertain of who would make a venture out to this bridge in the middle of the night, a level of fear beginning to rise within her. It wasn't until the lights dimmed and the figure's face comes into view that she finds herself relaxing once again. Jason.

"Hey." she greets him, a soft smile upon her lips. "I was just leaving..."

"No, you weren't." he counters, stopping just a couple feet in front of her. "I know things between us have been difficult..."

"That's putting it mildly."

"Fair enough, but we'll get past it." he assures her, gesturing for them to sit down upon the bridge. "We've been a part of each other's lives for too long not to."

"If you say so." she says simply, slowly lowering herself onto the bridge. "I am sorry, you know?"

"I am, too."

"Can I ask what made you come up here?" she questions after a long moment of silence falls over them. "Is everything okay?"

"I hope so." he voices, letting out a soft sigh before shaking his head. "I had a talk with Robin..."

"Oh."

"Yeah." he agrees, leaning back into the railing as he remembers his conversation. "Talking to her brought back memories that I haven't thought about in so long. I guess I just needed to clear my head, so, I came up here."

"I know what you mean." Elizabeth admits, taking in a deep breath to calm her emotions before turning to him. "This whole situation with Sabrina has brought up so many memories about when I got pregnant with Jake. About how we could have done better. How we should have done better."

"We did the best we could at the time." Jason insists, needing her to believe that. "You have to know that."

"Most days, I do, but...there are days when I don't." she finds herself voicing before shaking her head abruptly. "Anyway, I just meant to say that I understood why talking to Robin would bring up those memories for you."

"Those weren't the memories I was talking about."

"No?"

"I think about all of that almost every day." he admits, smiling slightly when understanding fills her eyes. "Jake...he's always on my mind...in my heart."

"Me, too."

"The memories I was talking about..." he voices. "...I was thinking about the time you lost Lucky. About the year we became friends...more than friends."

"Oh." she voices for the second time, having not expected for those memories to be brought to light because of the current situation. "I guess I can understand why you'd think of that time."

"I was trying to help Robin understand where I stood." he explains. "The only reference I had for her was that time."

"Did it help?"

"I don't know." he admits sadly. "I just know that the last thing I want is for this to end up..."

"Like us." she guesses, having felt the exact same way. "One can only hope."

"How are you holding up?" he voices, knowing that there was no confirming or denying what she had said. "I know this must be hard on you."

"Me?" she looks at him in disbelief. "Why would it be hard on me?"

"You care a lot about everyone involved." he points out. "I know its not easy for you to be in the middle."

"You're right. I love Sabrina and Patrick and Robin." she confirms. "And its hard trying to stay neutral, but I'm the last person that you should be worried about."

"You would think so." he had expected nothing less from her. "Just know, no matter what's going on between us, you can still come to me."

"I appreciate the thought, Jason, but you don't have to say that."

Rising to her feet, Elizabeth turns to face out at the abyss once more, more recent memories coming to mind as she does. So much has happened between them, so much she wishes she could take back, but knows she'll never be able to. She should have been honest with Jason from the start. She should have helped him get Sam's baby back without any regard for herself, but she didn't and that will always haunt her. For her to put her own needs before the reunion of a mother and child...its unforgivable.

"Its not unforgivable." he contradicts her, certain she had not meant to voice it out loud. "Elizabeth, you're not unforgivable."

"I hurt you..."

"I'm pretty sure I did my share of hurting." Jason counters, forcing her to meet his gaze. "I know its going to take time, but we'll find our way back."

"I hope so."

"I know so." he counters, placing a soft kiss upon her forehead before pulling away. "Come on, I'll walk you to your car. Its getting late."

"After all these years, you're still worried about me being alone in the dark."

"It is dangerous, after all."

Standing by as he opens her door for her, Elizabeth grants him one last smile before sliding into her car and starting it up. She's not sure that he's right, but she hopes that he is. Betraying his trust had been one of the worst decisions she has made so far and she can only hope to be able to rectify it. Imagining her life without Jason was beyond her ability and it frightens her to think that it just might be her reality.

Taking one last look at him, she makes her way back to her house, needing to get a good night's sleep to face the day ahead of her. Although she had been certain that Robin would have more than enough supporters to help her, she's thankful that Jason is one of the many. If anyone can help Robin through this, she's almost certain that he can.

Though its been years, she can still see glimpses of the man that can take any given situation and simplify it to the point of understanding. With the situation being so complicated, she's certain that Robin can use Jason's simplistic way of looking at things. And, in all honesty, she could, too.

Checking in on Sabrina once more, Elizabeth finds content that she's sleeping peaceful before retiring to her own bedroom for the night. Thankfully her Gram has taken the boys for the night, giving her some time to focus on Sabrina that much more. Though her Gram believes that Elizabeth should stay out of it completely, she can understand why she can't. As long as Sabrina needs her, she has to be in the middle of this. It was only right.


End file.
